No wonder I still get the river to myself

[Ken G]

Was cruising other sites to see what people have to say about fishing the Fox.
Astonishing what passes for Fox access and info these days.
Completely explains why nobody goes where I go, except for the guys here that give it a try.

All they have to do is use the search feature on these sites and they will find a lot more factual info.

That, in a way, is a kind of cool thing. The internet has no memory. It doesn't matter that I've been leaving detailed reports and giving away spots on the Fox for the past 12 years on virtually all of the local fishing forums.

It didn't happen in the last 7 days, so therefore it didn't happen at all.

Further proof when the naysayers chime in about ruining the river. How? Nobody is paying attention.

I'll have to expand on this soon and add it as a post script to my Internet Myths collection.

[Special Ed]

Your theory has merit Ken, but it harkens to something already well known in the geek-kingdom.

-Noobs don't know how to successfully find information. That is why there is always a *Check the FAQs rule, or "Did you try Google first?" prerequisite when asking for help on a help forum.

The local fishing sites don't have that, and even if they did, the guys that ask the questions 9 times out of 10 are either asking the wrong questions, or won't do anything with the info unless it drops trophys or piles of filleted fish in their lap.

They all want to be spoon fed, and on top of it they want it to be as easy as watching t.v.

Fishing the Fox successfully is not as easy as you may think it is. Of course for you it is because it has become second nature, but for those that have not been out there, I'm sure they find it rather daunting. They have no confidence in what others tell them until they try it and succeed.



Now I know you feel that the internet is not to blame for ruining all of our favorite fishing holes (except for small ponds), but the unavoidable conclusion based on your experience with not seeing anybody fishing your spots is as simple as this:


The same guys that can't find the info you posted 7 years ago are also the same guys that wouldn't know what to do with it even if they did find it.


I've lost almost all faith in humanity, and I will just come out and say it....... As the world evolves and advances, we are breeding people that are incrementally more stupid every generation. Not book stupid, but usable, social, logical, common sense stuff stupid. I can't even work with the younger guys at my job unless I continually remind myself to be patient and helpful.......

Sorry for the rant.

[twade]

I need to find this article I read in a magazine some time ago. Not sure what magazine it was. But the premise of the words were of the new age fishermen; the ones that read books, magazines, and internet post. They fill their heads with fishing tips and techniques from outdoor TV shows, they buy top of the line gear, they researched the best line for the best fishing, the right jigs, and colors etc. They have all of the information that took the old guys YEARS to learn.

Then they go out and spend 8 hours for two weeks straight fishing ... and don't catch a thing.

They lack time on the water with all that knowledge they have become cocky and self-assured. They can't set the hook on the light tap of the walleye, they rip the lure out of the mouth when a top water strike occurs. They just didn't get it. This is what is going on, what about the guys who didn't have google maps to find a fishing hole, fish finders, etc.

I am guilty of some this, but at least I try to get out on the water.

I used to play guitars a lot, and with all that fancy fish talk I hear I can say I can compare the two. You can have the worlds crappiest cheap guitar but if you have experience, you can make that thing sing and sound like a million bucks. Same with fishing, time on the water is needed, it is as simple as that.

[TackleBox]

I've read and re-read these three posts a couple times now trying to absorb a sense of tone and inflection. I can almost hear Ken due to my time spent with him on the water catching embarassing sized fish and coming up with at least 7 or reasons in my head (and probably out loud cuz I tend to be on a constant ramble whether it be to myself in my own head or incoherently running off at the mouth.) (Did you notice I also do it on the interweb?) why failure was becoming part of this meticulously designed plan we all had in our head.

Sorry for the incessancy. I digress.

What goes through my mind are these hodge-podge, ADHD, moving pictures.

Totally agree with all three of you.

Ken, reading other peoples diaries is interesting. Dirty and wrong sometimes but what the hell did they think we were gonna do if we stumbled upon them? They knew. That's why they wrote them. Dirty bastards. It's all lies. Their point of view.
There are two sides to every story and then there's the truth.

Spc. Ed, what we call the "good 'ol days", the simpler times, are gone. I don't know if they were simpler in terms of ease or simpler meaning most people didn't micro-manage every aspect of their daily routines, jobs, traffic patterns, meal preparation, vacations, finances, etc. etc.
Society is, was and will be caught up in faster and easier so you can get more in 24 hours. If they could, they'd make it 27/8 with an option to expand at a later date and pay for it with either a tax increase or a cut in services, neither of which keeps government from going in the red. They'd call it the American Rejuvenification Act or something really politically correct because you know, being PC nowadays is the only option. (Is my sarcasm coming thruogh okay? I can never tell on this thing.)
We are dumber. <is that a word? Because we obsess so much on trying to make things quicker and easier so we can be. It's our own damn fault. We all fall into the trap. Or maybe we're pushed in to it.

TW, if my life was dependent on my guitar playing skills, I'd be a vegetable on life support. (notice my insensitive lack of political correctness?) Everything I've learned about it I learned on the web. Esteban couldn't teach me shit but that black laquer finish just drew me in and I try to scratch it up as often as I can despite the objections.
There have been some very useful tricks I've learned while surfing not the least of which, keep it simple and feel the wave.
Tackle Test was the best thing I ever subscribed to.

Don't lose faith gentlemen. Some of us do read diaries, dress up in black face and practice. We just don't always want to share it so publically. It can be embarassing. Sharing it on the water or over a beer and a brat is the way it was meant to be. Just like back in the good 'ol days. Simple.

Now about that barbeque.......................

[Ken G]

Too much to think about and comment on.

Not enough time to do it.

I was taught how to gather info a long time ago. Dad, school, mentors and on and on.

I actually quit reading the news years ago because I hated how my brain would take all these seemingly unrelated facts and put them all together. Then I would just get frustrated when others didn't see the connections.

I use the same technique when it comes to fishing. And exploring. The tools I use are available to everyone. Maybe I just know how to do the correct key word searches. Have had 20 years of practice on that. And then back it up with hands on research.

I agree with the dumbing down of society. My daughters regretfully are adopting my view point. I'm trying to keep them from getting jaded too young.

I was at my 14 year olds cross country meet on Thursday. After the race we were talking about Zen and how it relates to running, which got her going on Hinduism and Zen of life, which led to my comparison to fishing and clay shooting. Which basically all came down to time doing whatever it is you do so you get to the point where you no longer give it conscious thought and just can do it. Very well.

Apparently I'm a hit with my daughters friends because of conversations like this. Apparently other parents aren't as ADHD as I am. They're loss.

Can I go back to work now?

It's our own damn fault. We all fall into the trap. Or maybe we're pushed in to it.

It's a bit of both.

This is from my 19 year olds facebook page. Maybe the do take after me a little too much.

"Stupid people should have to wear signs around their necks that say "I'm Stupid". That way you wouldn't rely on them, would you? You wouldn't ask them anything. It would be like "Excuse me...oops... nevermind...didn't see your sign"

[Ed79]

I've lost almost all faith in humanity, and I will just come out and say it....... As the world evolves and advances, we are breeding people that are incrementally more stupid every generation. Not book stupid, but usable, social, logical, common sense stuff stupid. I can't even work with the younger guys at my job unless I continually remind myself to be patient and helpful.......

Truer words have never been spoke.